Vehicle.



G. E. HOWE & J. J. KINGSTON.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 190B. 902,965. Patented N0v. 3,1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig.1.

WITNESSES: IN VENTORS 171 Charles E Howe aml By John J-Kingsbon.

ATTORNEY.

G. B. HOWE & J. J. KINGSTON.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION Hum an. 6, 190B.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

3 SHEETS-BHBBT 2.

INVENTORS Charles E. Hcwe A y JOl'th. J I Kingston.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES.

G. B. HOWE 6: J. J. KINGSTON.

VEHICLE.

APPLIOATIOI nun an. a, 1908.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

8 BHBETSSHEET 3.

INVENTOR: Charles E.Howe a.

A BY John J.K1'ngs17on..

ATTORNEY.

nu: nnnms PETER: co, wa smrmmu, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

i'JHARLES II WE AND JOHN J. KINGSTGN, WABASH, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO WABASH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORA- TION OF INDIANA.

VEHICLE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES E. Howe and JOHN J. KINGSTON, of Wabash, county of \Vabash, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Vehicle; and we do hereby declare that the followin is a full, clear, and exact description thereo reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of vehicles, especially of the running gear thereof, and the invention relates more particularly to wagons and carts for children.

A feature of the invention consists in placing what is known as the fifth wheel in the uppermost position innnediatcly beueath the bed of the wagon instead of in proximity to the front axle as heretofore. By mounting the fifth wheel on the underside of the wagon-bed, it can be made very secure and substantial, as the stationary parts thereof can be fixed to the wagon-bed, and the truss frame extends downwardly therefrom.

Another feature of the invention consists in the particular truss frame, as it has four hearings on the axle and is made of only two pieces of steel, thus making at once a very simple and a very durable frame. The central portion of the truss frame extends below the axle so that the axle extends through the four parts of the truss frame. This enables the hounds to be connected with the truss frame above the axle, and the hound brace and also the king bolt brace to be joined with the lower part of the truss frame below the axle, and in fact, the same distance below the axle as the connection of the hounds with the truss frame is above the axle. This gives to the tongue a direct pull on the axle so as to take off the strain on the truss frame, and it also enables the bounds to be built out to the front considerably so that the tongue can be bent back over the front of the wagon-bed to enable a child to steer the wagon.

Another feature of the invention consists in the combination with the rear truss frame, of two forwardly extending braces that slip over the axle between the bench bearing of the axle in the truss frame and the wheel, thus putting the braces as near to the wheel as possible to take up the thrust.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 6, 1908.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Serial No. 409,439.

Another feature of the invention relates to the brake mechanism.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wagon adapted for the use of a child, and which embodies the features of our invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear running gear when the wagon is turned upside down. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the forward running gear and the wagon bed. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4l of Fig. 3, showing the fifth wheel construction. Fig. 5 is a diagonal section through the fifth wheel ctmstruction on the line 5-5 of Fig. l. Fig. (5 is a central transverse section of the fifth wheel mechanism on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3 immediately to the rear of the front gear. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

There is shown in the drawings a wagonbed 10, wheels 11, axles 12, and a tongue 13 for a childs wagon. The forward gear has a fifth wheel construction at the top immediately under the wagon-bed. To the bottom of the wagon bed a plate 15 is secured by bolts 16, and it has four downwardly punched tongues 17 that are adapted to underlap the fifth wheel or oscillatory round plate 18 and thus guide and hold it. To the underside of said fifth wheel 18 the upper end of the forward truss frame 20 is rigidly secured by two rivets 21, and a bolt 22 extends through the stationary plate 15, the fifth wheel 18, and the top of the truss frame 20, and holds said parts together, and furnishes a central bearing for the oscillation of the fifth wheel 18. Since this fifth wheel construction can be very securely united with the bed of the wagon, it is given a character of permanence, as the parts cannot as readily work loose and shaky as when the fifth wheel construction, as heretofore, is located near the axle.

The forward truss frame 20 consists of two pieces of steel, namely the main piece, which is A-shaped and forms two lateral supports for the wagon, and at their outer ends have downwardly turned portions 23 near the wheels through which the axle projects. Intermediate these outer lateral portions there is another steel bar 24 formed somewhat U-shaped and located about midway of the truss frame and axle, the upper ends of the U being riveted to the main por tion 20 of the truss and extending downward vertically below the axle and are transversely united below the axle, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the axle extends through the vertical portions of said U-shaped bar 24: that constitutes the central part of the front truss frame. Thus the axle has four hearings in the front truss frame that are about equidistant from each other and the central portion of the front brace bar has the unusual characteristic of extending below the axle for the attachment of the king bolt brace 25 and a hound brace 26. The king bolt brace is secured to the bottom of the wagon-bed by bolts 27 and extends at an inclination, and is secured to the bottom of the central brace 24 of the front frame by a king bolt 28. The hounds brace lies above the steel bar 24, and is held in place by the king bolt 28 at its rear end, and at its front end is secured by a rivet 29 to the hounds 30. The hounds 30 are yoke-shaped or have two rearwardly extending bars pivoted to the side portions of the central truss frame bar 24 above the axle and about as far above the axle the connection of the king-bolt and hound braces of the central truss frame are located below the axle. Thus the hounds 3O pull on the central truss frame above the axle with the same force as the hound braces 26 pull on said frame below the axle. This makes a central pull on the axle and takes off the strain from the connection of the central frame bar 24 with the main frame bar 20 of the forward truss frame. So there is no pulling strain on the lateral main bar 20 of the forward truss frame, its sole function being that of supporting the wagon-bed, but even that function is shared by the central truss frame bar 24, as seen in Fig. 7. This arrangement also makes a direct pull of the hound brace on the king bolt brace, which is rigidly secured to the bed of the wagon, and, therefore, the con.- struction of the front gear is not only simple but extremely durable, the braces being thrown below the axle and the fifth wheel against the underside of the wagon-bed. The tongue 13 is pivoted to the hounds by a bolt 31, as seen in Fig. 8, and by reason of the gear and brace construction just described, the hounds can project forwardly any desired distance so that the tongue can be turned upwardly and backwardly for the steering of the Wagon by the occupant thereof.

The rear truss frame likewise consists of two steel bars 35 and 36, the outer steel bar 36 being semirectan ular with the upper portion thereof bolte to the wagon-bed and with the side end thereof extending downward vertically and carrying the rear axle. The bar 36 is intermediate the side portions of the bar 35 having its lateral ends riveted to the side portions of the bar 35 near the axle, and its central upper portion riveted centrally to the upper portion of the brace bar 35. There are also braces 37 extending forwardly of the wagon and secured at their upper ends to the bottom of the wagon-bed with their lower ends perforated and slipped over the ends of the axle and lying between the wheels and the lateral portions of the truss frame bar 36. This puts the braces as near to the wheels as possible to take up the thrust.

There is also provided a central brake mechanism. consisting of a lever 40 fulcrumed on the end of a bar 411, which is secured to the bottom of the wagon-bed near a rear wheel. The bar 40 extends horizontally beside the wagon-bed, the forward end projecting far enough to enable it to be operated by the hand of a child in the wagon, and the rear end adapted to be braced against the periphery of a wheel. A pin 42 extends inwardly from the rear end of the brake lever in position to engage the underside of the wagon-bed and limit the throw o1 movement of the lever.

\Vhat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vehicle including in combination with the bed thereof and a front axle, of a truss frame carrying said axle on its lower end, a fifth wheel secured upon the upper end of said truss frame, a plate secured to the bottom of said bed, downwardly extending lugs underlapping said fifth wheel for guiding the same, and a bolt extending centrally through said fifth wheel and through said plate and truss frame for uniting them.

2. A vehicle including the combination with a bed and an axle, of a truss frame in the lower part of which the axle is mounted and the central portion of which frame is U-shaped and extends below the axle, a fifth wheel connecting the upper end of said frame with the bottom of said bed, a king bolt brace connecting the bottom of the wagon bed with the lower part of the U-shaped portion of said truss frame, and hounds extending from the U-shaped portion of said truss frame at points above the axle, substantially as set forth.

3. A vehicle including the combination with a bed and an axle, of a truss frame in the lower part of whichthe axle is mounted and the central portion of which frame extends below the axle, a fifth wheel connecting the upper end of said frame with the bottom of said bed, a king bolt brace connecting the bottom of the wagon-bed with the lower part of said truss frame, hounds extending from said truss frame at points above the axle, and a hound brace connecting the forward part of the hounds with the connection between the king bolt brace and the lower part of said truss frame.

4. A vehicle including a bed and axle, a frame connected with the bottom of the front part of the bed, an axle mounted in said frame, hounds connected with said frame, a brace connected With the bottom of the bed at a point to the rear of said :lrame and extending to said frame, and a hounds brace extending from the forward part of the hounds and connected with said frame near said rearwardly extending brace, Whereby the tWo braces will cooperate in transmitting the pull from the hounds to the bed '1 5 at the rear end of said rear brace.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto aflixed our signatures in the presence of the witnesses herein named, the 7th day of Decemhcr 1907.

CHARLES E. HOWE. JOHN J. KINGSTON. W'itnesses as to Charles E. Howe:

N. ALLEMONG, W. M. GENTLE. \Vitnesses as to John J. Kingston:

VILLIAM R. VVILsoN, R. M. KNIGHT. 

